A man accused of murdering paedo singer Ian Watkins murder appeared “smug” and was “smirking” after the Lostprophets singer was knifed to death in his cell, a court has heard
Bodycam footage shows the moment a “smug” prison inmate accused of murdering paedo rocker Ian Watkins tells him: “Have a good night’s sleep Watkins, lad.”
Alleged murderer Rico Gedel, 25, was recorded on a prison officer’s body camera making the remark after the depraved singer was knifed three times in the brutal 20-second attack in his cell at HMP Wakefield, where he was serving 35 years for child sex offences.
The footage was released after it was shown to jurors at Leeds Crown Court, who were told prison officers described Gedel as “smug” and “smirking” after the incident at the high-security prison.
The disgraced Lostprophets frontman – jailed in 2013 for child sex abuse including attempted rape of a fan’s baby – was stabbed to death on October 11 last year. One four-inch wound sliced through his voicebox and jugular vein, causing catastrophic blood loss.
Jurors were also shown bodyworn camera footage of Gedel saying “I hope he sleeps” to officers who were searching his cell after the attack.
Prison officer Anthony Whiteside said Gedel was “calm and cold” throughout the search and “did not seem bothered about what had occurred”, telling the officer “you’ll never find” the weapon.
Fellow prison officer Andrew Chaplin, who spoke to Gedel through the door of his cell while observing him after the incident, said Gedel was “perky”, and was “laughing and joking” as he talked about football and rugby, saying he used to play for Saracens.
Mr Chaplin’s statement read: “He also spoke about his original crime, and stated he hadn’t committed the murder – that there was three of them but he hadn’t had the knife.”
He said Gedel told him: “If I’m going to do life for murder I’m going to make sure it’s worth it”, and said words to the effect of: “If I’ve killed him you could be talking to someone famous.”
An officer from the segregation wing at HMP Long Lartin, where Gedel was taken after Watkins’ death, said Gedel seemed “proud of what had happened” and said he “felt like a celebrity”.
Jurors were told that the makeshift weapon found in the prison bins, where it was disposed of by Samuel Dodsworth, was made of a Stanley knife stuck to a piece of plastic cutlery with large amounts of tape.
The court heard Gedel passed the knife to Dodsworth after leaving Watkins’ cell.
In his interview with police after the stabbing, Gedel complained about his treatment in prison and said: “In a normal prison there’s nonce wings and normal wings, but in Wakefield it’s just everyone.”
In a transcript of the interview read in court, Gedel was asked how he felt about sharing a wing with “people like that”. He replied: “It’s disgusting.”
The court heard he was “unhappy” about having to move wings the day before the fatal attack and had threatened to “do something to get moved to segregation”.
Prison officer Adam Laycock said he had been involved in moving Gedel from A wing to B wing the day before Watkins was killed. Mr Laycock’s statement, read to jurors by prosecutor Chris Rose, said: “(Gedel) didn’t want to move wings.
“He had mentioned a number of times that if he was moved he would do something. Often this is the kind of threat prisoners make and often they do nothing to carry it out.
“I knew Gedel would rather go to segregation than be moved to somewhere he didn’t want to be.”
Mr Laycock said he rushed to B wing on the day of Watkins’ death after hearing a “code red” called, and saw Gedel being escorted by officers. He added: “I noticed Gedel was looking somewhat smug, and seemed to have a smirk on his face.”
Another prison officer from A wing, Justin Barrett, said he saw Gedel being restrained after the “code red”. He said: “I wasn’t shocked to see it was him. He had not been happy about the move from A to B wing.
“I heard him say he would do something to get moved to segregation.”
Jurors also heard statements from several officers who searched Gedel when he was moved to his cell after the incident.
Patrick Wilson, who was part of the jail’s dedicated search team (DST), said Gedel was laughing as he entered the cell, and responded “I used my hands”, when asked where the weapon was.
Mr Wilson said: “He kept laughing, saying things like: ‘You guys are DST, this should be the highlight of the day’.”
Gedel, who was initially referred to by police as Rashid Gedel, and Samuel Dodsworth, 44, both deny murder and possession of a makeshift knife in prison. The trial continues.
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